Deceased/Not Found UT - Matthew Johnson, 51, Utah Ntl Guard member, missed work, car found a block from home, Cottonwood Heights, 20 Sept 2024 *Arrest*

[imstilla.grandma]

*Jennifer Gledhill, who was charged with the murder of her missing husband, Utah National Guardsman Matthew Johnson, made her initial court appearance on Monday, Oct. 21. During the brief court proceedings, the judge signed a protective order requested by the state that will stop all communication between Gledhill and her three children

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Ggt. Gary Young with the Cottonwood Heights Police Department said they based their search area off the pings of Gledhill’s cellphone, but they still weren’t quite sure where to search.

Court documents said GPS data showed Gledhill’s phone in Davis County. It was turned off for a few hours and then turned back on. It showsed her traveling eastbound on the West Davis Corridor. Then later that day, she arrived at the informant's house, where she allegedly admitted to killing Johnson and burying his body.

“You know, it is a needle in a haystack. We don't have any other information on where to start looking other than, you know, obvious places or more likely places that a person in a minivan could easily get to in their vehicle. You know, it was described as a shallow grave, and so we're not sure,” he said.

Search for 'shallow grave' of National Guardsman Matthew Johnson resumes in Farmington Bay

Several law enforcement officers and volunteers from the Utah National Guard were out at Farmington Bay again, trying to find clues about the location of Matthe

kutv.com

“Jennifer stated she wanted to report a domestic violence incident that had happened over the weekend and wanted bruises on her body photographed as evidence. Jennifer informed me the bruises were all over her body and to photograph them she would need to remove her clothes down to her underwear. Jennifer was escorted inside the police station to an interview room and informed a female officer would be dispatched to assist with the photos.”

According to the report, Jennifer informed the officer that Matthew visited their home on September 20, 2024

Warrant sheds light on death investigation of National Guardsman Matthew Johnson

New details were outlined in a warrant obtained by 2News regarding the investigation into Jennifer Gledhill and the alleged murder of her husband Matthew Johnso

kmyu.tv

 

[wnk]

Court documents said GPS data showed Gledhill’s phone in Davis County. It was turned off for a few hours and then turned back on. It showsed her traveling eastbound on the West Davis Corridor. Then later that day, she arrived at the informant's house, where she allegedly admitted to killing Johnson and burying his body.

Boy, oh, boy. That leaves a lot of wide open space to search. For non-locals, here's a look at the route. The northwest/southeast diagonal road marked "177" is the West Davis Corridor. It's a fairly new highway that runs along some rural and undeveloped areas between the valley and the Great Salt Lake. Around Layton, it becomes pretty wet and marsh like; there's a nature preserve out there that's basically a series of boardwalks over wetlands. It also leads up to the causeway to Antelope Island State Park. It gets busy on the weekends and when the weather is nice, but depending on the time of day, there's also plenty of areas of absolute desolation readily accessible by minivan. (There's a gate at the entrance that closes at 10pm - anyone catch what time the pings were?)

 

[wnk]

MATTHEW JOHNSON [MJ] - 51-year-old National Guard special ops staff sergeant [8], 5’9, 178 lb, blue eyes, shaved head; suffered from PTSD after 3 military deployments, including Afghanistan and Jordan [8]

Jennifer Gledhill [JG], wife, 41 years old [4]
3 minor children [4] (two sons and daughter, ages 11, 7, 5) [5]

Informant [CI] - man with whom JG was having an affair

---

TIMELINE
[unknown]
- previous police visits for “civil matters” [2] (around 10 in past several years, per DailyMail [8])

2018
- MJ begins working full-time with the National Guard as a communication specialist for special operations unit [8]

~2022
- the last time JG’s unnamed family member had seen MJ at a family function [8]

Wed July 3, 2024
- couple had been considering divorce [4] JG had filed divorce [5][9]
- JG and children went to live with JG’s parents for a few months [8]

Wed August 21, 2024
- JG files for protective order [5], temporary order granted [9]
Late August / early September
- JG and children move back to family home [8]

Sun Sep 1, 2024
- MJ on leave to visit father recovering from stroke in Bend, OR; friend in Bend, OR, had not heard from him since this date, plates didn’t ping in that area [13]

Tue Sep 10, 2024
- Commissioner recommends extending protective order while evidence is reviewed [9]

Mon Sep 16, 2024
- JG’s temporary protective order denied [6]; ruled that videos showed she was ‘equally confrontational’ and ‘no abuse’ had occurred [5]

Tue Sep 17, 2024
- Case management conference held for divorce case [9]

Thu Sep 19, 2024
- (according to CI), JG shows CI a loaded gun [9]

Fri Sep 20, 2024
- MJ had been spending several nights at Camp Williams around this time [8]
- MJ last seen in area of 3000 E Fort Union Blvd, Cottonwood Heights, UT [1]
- neighbors saw truck in driveway facing garage, then backed completely into garage [2]
PM - children go to JG’s parents for the night [9]
- (according to JG’s abuse report) MJ returned home (did not usually stay there); the couple drank whiskey and had consensual intercourse, but then MJ got upset and began hitting her; she promised not to report [13]
- (according to CI) MJ returned home and started yelling at JG because he’d found out about her affair [9]
- witnesses mention argument sometime between Fri/Sat [3] (some reports this was on 21st/22nd [10])
- (according to JG) MJ said he was going to be gone for a week [9]

Sat Sep 21, 2024
- (according to CI) JC shot MJ in the head with his 9mm Glock while he slept, smashed his phone, hid his vehicle, loaded body into rooftop storage container, loaded him into back of minivan, took body north, buried in shallow grave [9] (KSL reports this was on Sep 22 [10])
- JC asks parents keep children for an additional day [10]
6:00 AM - GPS data shows JG’s phone near location where truck later found [9]
PM - GPS data shows JG in Davis County [9]
2:37 PM - JG’s phone turned off [9]
~5:00 PM - JG’s phone turned on, showing traveling eastbound on West Davis Corridor [9]
11:07 PM - JG’s vehicle on camera leaving carwash at Holiday Oil on Highland Dr [9]; video shows her “thoroughly cleaning” vehicle (KSL reports this was on Sep 22) [10]
11:47 PM - JG arrives at CI’s house [9]
- MJ had no contact from this date forward with anyone, including children [3]

Sun Sep 22, 2024
PM [7] / AM [9]? - (according to CI), JG admitted to killing MJ, relocating his remains to shallow grave [3]
- (according to CI) JG was “visibly distraught,” asked CI not to say anything [10]
- (according to CI) JG had bruises she said were from moving the body and cleaning the house [11]

Mon Sep 23, 2024
- MJ failed to show up for work [1] with Utah National Guard after leave [2]
- JG reports MJ missing [1]

Tue Sep 24, 2024
- JG goes to Cottonwood Heights PD to report incident of Sep 20/21 [3] after finding a note on her door from MJ’s coworkers stating they couldn’t find him [13]
- JG’s parents seen cleaning JG’s house [9]; mother later claims to have only been there an hour & father says he did not go into where incident happened [11]
- JG(‘s parents [9]) orders new mattress [3]
11:00 PM - JG’s parents leave JG’s house [9]

Wed Sep 25, 2024
- fellow guardsman contact Cottonwood Heights PD to report MJ missing [9]

Thu Sep 26, 2024
- new mattress arrives at JG’s home [3] delivered by JG’s parents [9]

Fri Sep 27, 2024

Sat Sep 28, 2024
- LE contacted JG about missing persons report filed by fellow guardsman; said she wanted to report him missing, too [9]
2:58 PM [13] - CI called LE and told them JG admitted to killing MJ, said she would kill herself before going to jail [3]

Sun Sep 29, 2024

Mon Sep 30, 2024
- Dodge 1500 pickup found a few blocks from his home [1] at 3100 East & Fort Union Blvd, processed for evidence [2]

- JG cooperative with investigation [4]

Tue Oct 1, 2024
- neighbors mention that MJ & JG were working toward divorce [2]
- court agrees to deny bail [3]

Wed Oct 2, 2024
5:22 PM [7] - JG arrested for murder and obstruction of justice [3]
- LE searches MJ & JG’s home, finds blood-stain spot on carpet under bed, on bed frame, bleached walls, new mattress. [3]

Thu Oct 3, 2024
- JG’s attorneys for restraining order & divorce cases declined to comment [6]

Fri Oct 4, 2024

Sat Oct 5, 2024

Sun Oct 6, 2024

Mon Oct 7, 2024

Tue Oct 8, 2024

Wed Oct 9, 2024
- reported that children are living with grandparents TG & RG [8]
- LE actively looking for body [8]
- JG has not confessed [8]
- reported that JG’s parents’ home had been searched (at unknown time previous), computers, phones & other records confiscated [8]; gun she’d showed CI found in tote [11]

Thu Oct 10, 2024

Fri Oct 11, 2024

Sat Oct 12, 2024

Sun Oct 13, 2024

Mon Oct 14, 2024

Tue Oct 15, 2024
- JG charged with… [9]
1st degree felony murder of Matthew Johnson
5 counts of 1st degree felony obstruction of justice
2nd degree felony drug possession with intent to distribute
3rd degree felony witness tampering
3rd degree felony abuse or desecration of human body

Wed Oct 16, 2024

Thu Oct 17, 2024

Fri Oct 18, 2024
AM - first court appearance scheduled [9]

Sat Oct 19, 2024

Sun Oct 20, 2024
- LE & National Guard search in Farmington Bay w metal detectors [12]

Mon Oct 21, 2024
- JG court hearing scheduled [12]

---

SOURCES
[1] 1 Oct 2024 - Fox13 Police asking for the public's help in search for missing guardsman
[2] 1 Oct 2024 - KSL
https://www.ksl.com/article/5114487...nvolving-utah-guardsman-considered-suspicious
[3] 2 Oct 2024 (updated 3 Oct) - Fox13
https://www.fox13now.com/news/crime...ational-guardsman-arrested-for-alleged-murder
[4] 2 Oct 2024 (updated 4 Oct) - KSL TV
https://ksltv.com/688895/wife-arrested-charged-with-murder-of-missing-utah-guardsman/
[5] 3 Oct 2024 - DailyMail
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...om-confession-missing-serviceman-husband.html
[6] 3 Oct 2024 - AP News
https://apnews.com/article/utah-man-shot-wife-arrested-191ad81a32efc0a00414b6a8227982db
[7] 3 Oct 2024 - Gephardt Daily
https://gephardtdaily.com/local/upd...urder-arrest-husbands-body-not-yet-recovered/
[8] 9 Oct 2024 - DailyMail
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...s_campaign=1490&ito=social-twitter_mailonline
[9] 15 Oct 2024 KUTV
https://kutv.com/news/local/woman-c...ing-husband-matthew-johnson-jennifer-gledhill
[10] 15 Oct 2024 KSL
https://www.ksl.com/article/5115546...usband-confessed-to-new-boyfriend-charges-say
[11] 15 Oct 2024 Gephardt Daily
https://gephardtdaily.com/local/slc...ming-affair-said-jennifer-gledhill-confessed/
[12] 21 Oct 2024 KUTV
https://kutv.com/news/local/search-...n-resumes-in-farmington-bay-jennifer-gledhill
[13] 21 Oct 2024 KMYU
https://kmyu.tv/news/local/warrant-...igation-of-national-guardsman-matthew-johnson

 

[wnk]

Boy, oh, boy. That leaves a lot of wide open space to search. For non-locals, here's a look at the route. The northwest/southeast diagonal road marked "177" is the West Davis Corridor. It's a fairly new highway that runs along some rural and undeveloped areas between the valley and the Great Salt Lake. Around Layton, it becomes pretty wet and marsh like; there's a nature preserve out there that's basically a series of boardwalks over wetlands. It also leads up to the causeway to Antelope Island State Park. It gets busy on the weekends and when the weather is nice, but depending on the time of day, there's also plenty of areas of absolute desolation readily accessible by minivan. (There's a gate at the entrance that closes at 10pm - anyone catch what time the pings were?)

View attachment 539497

Answering my own question here - the GPS pings were on Saturday, Sep 21 from ~2:30 to ~5:00 PM. The weather that day was beautiful (Weather in September 2024 in Layton, Utah, USA), which means Antelope Island would have been very busy.

 

[mlhenn]

Gledhill appears to contradict herself regarding origin of body bruises

A warrant connected to the investigation into a missing Cottonwood Heights man whose wife was later arrested for his murder sheds new light into what may have occurred in the days before his death.

www.fox13now.com

On Friday, the affidavit for a search warrant previously requested by Cottonwood Heights police was released, with details showing that Gledhill had reached out to police to report a domestic violence incident on Sept. 24, one day after Johnson was reported missing.

Several bruises on both of Gledhill's arms and hands were seen by the officer, including a bruise under her left eye, as well as others on her knees and lower legs.

However, the man with whom Gledhill was having an extramarital affair told police that she admitted to shooting Johnson in the head on Sept. 21 and that when he noticed bruises on her arms and legs, she said they had come from "moving Matthew’s body and cleaning the mess in the house."

….

Meanwhile, police are continuing their search for Johnson’s body north of Salt Lake City.

"We’re playing odds," said Sgt. Gary Young with the Cottonwood Heights Police Department. "She probably didn’t stop on the side of the road of the freeway. Someone would probably see her. So we’re focusing on the less traveled, less populated area which is in that corridor along the bay and Farmington Bay and Ogden Bay."

 

[mlhenn]

Judge grants no-contact order forbidding murder suspect Jennifer Gledhill from seeing kids

Jennifer Gledhill made her first court appearance after being charged with the murder of her husband, Guardsman Matthew Johnson, whose body is still unaccounted

kutv.com

In the meantime, prosecutors filed a pretrial protective order for Gledhill's three school-aged children, whom they argued should not have any contact with their mother.

"The children of the victim and the defendant and there is some concern about obstruction that is has been alleged to have already occurred in involvement with the children specifically."

"They will be likely witnesses in this matter," the prosecutor added.

 

[wnk]

Did a little calculating on TravelTime.com...

If JG turned off I-15 onto the West Davis Corridor at ~2:30 and was back at that same spot headed the opposite way at ~5:00 (2.5 hours later), this is the area she could have driven to and back from during that time.

Now, if you were planning to go to Ogden or any points north of that, I-15 would to be the quickest, easiest, and most direct route. The West Davis corridor only goes a bit further north than the Antelope Island causeway (the road connecting the island on the bottom of the map), but you *could* hop back on I-15 and make it all the way up to Tremonton, UT, in Box Elder County* within that time frame.

*Anyone familiar with the Dylan Rounds case knows that his parents were NOT happy at all with how the Box Elder investigators dealt with his case. (LINK)

[snipped]
"We’re playing odds," said Sgt. Gary Young with the Cottonwood Heights Police Department. "She probably didn’t stop on the side of the road of the freeway. Someone would probably see her. So we’re focusing on the less traveled, less populated area which is in that corridor along the bay and Farmington Bay and Ogden Bay."

For her to dispose of the body between 2:30-5:00 PM on a Saturday, in broad daylight, she had to have known when she set out that wherever she was going wasn't going to have anyone else around.

I think right now, my bet is on the Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management area. It's a huge space that's used for hunting and birdwatching with gravel roads that are only open in the fall/winter and that run right along the wet, swampy areas.

Here's a Google Maps image that give you a pretty good view of the sort of place:

Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management Area · Google Maps

〒84315 Utah, Hooper, サウス 7500 ウェスト

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Chimera]

Bombshell twist in case of wealthy Utah mom 'who murdered husband'

Thomas Gledhill, 71, and Rosalie Christianson Gledhill, 67, have been charged with helping their daughter clean her home after she allegedly killed her husband.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The parents of a Utah woman accused of murdering her husband after confessing an affair have been arrested on charges they helped her clean the crime scene.

Thomas Gledhill, 71, and Rosalie Gledhill, 67, were charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly helping their daughter Jennifer Gledhill clean her $1 million home after, police say, she shot her husband Matthew Johnson dead as he slept.

Cleaned the scene for about 5 hours.
Oh my goodness.
Have to be away today---- but the parents are now sleuthable...

Omo.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

ABC4.com online October 25, 2024 article by Spencer Mahon entitled ‘Parents of Jennifer Gledhill arrested for obstruction of justice in murder case’

https://www.abc4.com/news/wasatch-front/parents-of-jennifer-gledhill-arrested-for-obstruction-of-justice-in-murder-case/

Of note from the article:

Thomas Ray Gledhill, 71, and Rosalie Christianson Gledhill, 67, were arrested yesterday, Thursday, October 24.

The mattress used to replace the one stained in the slaying was apparently bought by the suspect’s mother Rosalie.

Once detectives obtained the suspect’s parents’s phones it was determined the phones had been reset. Information pre arrest was apparently deleted.

IIUC the parents specifically told investigators earlier that they did not help the suspect clean the residence.

Details from the article on their daughter:

Jennifer Gledhill is facing -
five counts of second-degree felony obstruction of justice;
one count of second-degree felony possession with intent to distribute;
one count of third-degree felony desecration of a human body;
and one count of third-degree felony witness tampering.

IMO they should also add tampering with evidence to the parent’s charges. And have to wonder who the witness(es) the daughter Jennifer is accused of tampering? Seems they need to ‘sweat’ the parents and / the daughter to get the daughter to indicate where her slain husband’s remains lie. MOO

 

[cocomod]

I loved reading of the additional arrests today! I am so glad they were arrested! It was obvious when they bought the mattress and cleaned her house that they knew what had happened. If I recall correctly, her father also indicated that he did not walk in where the incident occurred. Meaning he knew what she had done! I wonder if the tampering with a witness may be the person whom she had an affair with. She didn’t want him to go to police.

 

[Motoman_90]

We all saw the parents arrest coming a mile off from whats been said I believe the informant was more involved as well possibly not by choice out of fear he would be next just my opinion

 

[mlhenn]

A Utah Mom Is Accused of Killing Husband in His Sleep Due to Her Affair. Why Were Her Parents Just Charged?

Authorities allege Thomas Gledhill, 70, and Rosalie Gledhill, 67, helped their daughter, Jennifer Gledhill, cover up the September killing of her husband.

people.com

Both parents denied cleaning the home, according to the affidavits.

Thomas allegedly told investigators during questioning that he didn’t remember much about the day, the district attorney’s office previously said. Investigators also allege that cell phone data shows Thomas was the only person Jennifer called on the day she’s believed to have buried Johnson’s body, the affidavit claims.

…

Testing shows the bloodstain on the carpet was from a “single male source,” according to the release

 

[vls12345]

Inmate records (search last name Gledhill to see records for all of them):

Inmate Lookup Tool

 

[Knox]

First this woman selfishly deprives her children of their Father. Then she involves her parents, who are 71 & 67. Yes, they had a choice, I’m not excusing them, they will pay a price. But look at the destruction she caused. I hope she lives the rest of her life wracked with guilt.

 

[cocomod]

I’m not sure she can feel guilt. She wanted her new lover to accept what she had done. She was trying to drag him in to it!

 

[Knox]

I’m not sure she can feel guilt. She wanted her new lover to accept what she had done. She was trying to drag him in to it!

I thought that might be because she was using drugs.

 

[vls12345]

Former FBI agent explains need to find Matthew Johnson's body quickly as weather changes

Search efforts continue to locate Matthew Johnson's missing body.The search has been going on for weeks with the help of several law enforcement agencies and th

www.kutv.com

 

[Knox]

Former FBI agent explains need to find Matthew Johnson's body quickly as weather changes

Search efforts continue to locate Matthew Johnson's missing body.The search has been going on for weeks with the help of several law enforcement agencies and th

www.kutv.com

I wonder if LE is trying to solicit the cooperation of her parents. I hope they know where she took his body, for their sakes.

 

[Chimera]

I'm sorry for those children and Matthew's loved ones !

I'm almost convinced she had help in concealing his body; hard to believe he's still missing.
No large bodies of water nearby ?
Omo.